‘Looked after’ young people in Bucks could end up living on the streets if they do not receive the right support when they leave care, it has been warned.

Last week the Bucks Free Press reported that teenagers in Bucks set to move into independent living struggled with anxiety and depression due to a lack of support provided by the authorities.

National charity Become, which supports young people as they leave care, has warned Bucks County Council (BCC) that care leavers may be faced with a lack of education and employment opportunities if the services provided are not up to scratch.

Public affairs manager at the charity, Dominic Stevenson, acknowledged that BCC has an “overstretched” budget, but said this is “no excuse for inadequate care provisions” for looked after children.

He said: “It is very clear from BCC’s latest Ofsted inspection that the care-experienced young people of Buckinghamshire are not being supported to ensure that they have same opportunities and life chances as those outside of the care system – and this can have a damaging knock on effect when they leave care.

“A lack of support while in care, and beyond, could leave a care leaver vulnerable to homelessness, a lack of education or employment opportunities, and it can have a negative effect on their mental health.

“While we know that Buckinghamshire County Council, like all local authorities, will have an overstretched budget, this is no excuse for inadequate care provisions for children in care and care leavers.

“Care-experienced children and young people deserve the highest quality of care – they are part of our future and if we fail them, we are also failing ourselves.”

A Government commissioner was appointed last month to decide the future of BCC’s children’s services after they were once again rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted.

Deputy cabinet member for children’s services at BCC, Jean Teesdale, said young people leaving care in Bucks are assigned a personal advisor to provide guidance to help them live independently.

She added that BCC works closely with district council housing teams to plan the right accommodation for those moving on to independent living.

Cllr Teesdale said: “We listen carefully to what our care leavers tell us about their experiences, we really value their views, wishes and feelings and take these into account.

“In addition to this, some of our care leavers are inputting directly into improving the services we provide and provide regular challenge and support through the ‘We Do Care’ Champions.

“Our aim is for all of our care leavers to lead successful and fulfilling lives and to be in education, training and/or employment.

“We will do everything we can, both within the council and more widely with our partners across Buckinghamshire, to help improve their career prospects.”